“Relations between Israel and Turkey were very warm until the incident [with the so-called freedom flotilla]…but already from 2011, they were damaged. Today, there is so far not any agreement between Israel and Turkey [on renewing diplomatic relations]. We insist that Turkey stop aiding Hamas…So far we have no movement in this area….But so far we have still not renewed our diplomatic relations…it seems that Mr. Erdogan hasn’t shown any interest in this since 2010,” Goldman-Shayman said at a press conference in Moscow.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated after the Freedom Flotilla incident in 2010, when a convoy of six ships, including one flying the Turkish flag, tried to approach the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and activists on board. The flotilla was blocked and stormed by Israeli forces, resulting in eight Turkish citizens being killed.
Following the incident, Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador from the country, recalled its ambassador from Israel and demanded a formal apology from Israel, as well as compensation for the victims' families.
In December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country would benefit from improving relations with Israel. In late 2015, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, however, said Turkey ruled out the possibility of rapprochement with Israel without the lifting of Israel's blockade of Gaza, which was imposed in 2007.
